Consumers desire new multi-functional hair products that can not only impart good styling benefits to hair, but also simplify their routine by providing easier mechanisms of application and distribution onto the hair. Such products should be pleasing to the senses, have innovative, interesting and/or pleasing textures, without loss in functional performance. Furthermore, many consumers prefer hair products that are light in texture, easy to apply, and provide discipline/hold to the hair.
Traditional hair styling products on the cosmetic market appear in various forms. They range anywhere from solutions, foams, gels, creams, waxes, mousses, sprays, serums, to aerosols and can impart a variety of levels of protection and style to the hair depending on the state of the hair and the components of the product. Generally, products that are designed to impart styling or shaping benefits to hair are in the form of hair styling or hair care/hair treatment products. Such products are sometimes solids, or very thick/viscous, making them difficult to apply. Upon application, these product may dry unevenly due to the product format or become stiff and/or “crunchy” with limited hold (i.e. the film is overly hard and brittle), which is undesirable for many consumers.
Current products for imparting styling or shaping benefits to hair often include water soluble film-forming polymers. Depending on the chemical make-up of these polymers, they may be either soluble in water, or they may be water insoluble polymers which are made water soluble via various chemical modifications, such as neutralization. Solutions comprising these polymers tend to be viscous, i.e. as the concentration of the polymer increases, its viscosity builds up rapidly. Translated to styling applications, as the solvent evaporates, the polymer solution becomes thicker on the hair surface, resulting in a sticky or tacky film.